A Bible Devotion

HEBREWS 9:27 KJV
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment:

Many have misunderstood Hebrews 9:27. It does not say that God
has set a certain time for each person to die. It only says
that each person will die, and then be judged.

Some people believe there is a pre-determined date God has
chosen for them to die. They don't think they have anything to
do with when they will die, but that it is strictly determined
by "fate."

But the Bible gives us a different picture.

The Bible tells us things we can do that will shorten our
lives, or lengthen them. For example, honoring our parents.

EPHESIANS 6:2-3 NKJ
2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first
commandment with promise:
3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the
earth."

According to the Bible, what we say with our tongue also
affects how long we live.

PROVERBS 18:21 NKJ
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who
love it will eat its fruit.

This says death is in the power, or the control, of our tongue.
So the words we speak have an effect on how long we will live.

DEUTERONOMY 30:19 NKJ
19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your
descendants may live;

God said we should choose between life and death. That is
certainly not the same as God saying, "I have already decided
when you will die and there is nothing you can do about it!"

PHILIPPIANS 1:21-23 NKJ
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my
labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to
depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Paul, who wrote Philippians, obviously believed he had some
choice as to whether to stay here or die. We have the same
choice.

Even if God may know when we will die, that does not mean He
chooses it or causes it. This may be difficult for us to
understand, because we are bound by time. But just because we
do not understand something, does not mean it can't be true.
God knows more than we do! God knows the future, but He still
allows us to make choices. Somehow, not being restricted to
time like we are, God knows what will happen in the future,
without robbing us of our freedom to make choices.

God did not create humanity to be His puppets, robots, or
slaves. We have a God-given right to make choices.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God has picked out a date
for each person to die. So for us to say that would be adding
to what the Bible has said.

SAY THIS: God has given me the right and the responsibility to
make the right choices.

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